Popeye the Sailor (TV Series) Childhood Daze (1960) User Reviews

A 'Humilerating' Experience!

[ccthemovieman-1 · 7/10 · 4 May 2007]

Popeye, Olive Oyl and Brutus are all at the home of the (stereotypical) German professor's house-lab watching the scientist show off his new "youth machine." It puts an old chicken in it, and out comes a baby chick!

After the vain Olive asks the professor if he could make people younger, Brutus volunteers Popeye to try it out. He then hits the "baby" switch on the machine so Popeye comes out as a little tyke. "Very funny," says an upset little Popeye, "now get me back to me old abnormal self!" Brutus replies, "Now run along and play with the other kiddies, Shorty!!" He then gives his sadistic laugh. He then grabs Olive.

How does Popeye get out of this "humilerating" experience? Well, he actually uses his brains more than his brawn. However, with this "strained spinach" we get hilarious finish and and ending with some justice. It's more of a "cute" cartoon than a laugh-out-loud one.

Inattention to Detail

[arthurso71 · 6/10 · 11 May 2009]

Okay made-for-TV 1960s toon has sloppy animation. The plot has Brutus using the Professor's Atomic Youth Machine to get rid of Popeye as a rival for Olive once and for all by having him rejuvenated back to infancy. Somehow the machine also alters Popeye's sailor suit into a white version of Swee'Pea's infant's gown. Popeye looks suitably tiny sitting in Brutus's hand and being mocked to go play with the kiddies and leave the adults (Olive and Brutus) alone. But Popeye looks larger while across Brutus's lap getting spanked. And while held by Olive, his head is as big as hers, giving the appearance as a grownup with his body missing from the waist down. Later when Popeye eats his strained spinach, the baby gown morphs back into a sailor suit. Nice touches has Olive repeatedly addressing Popeye as "little boy" before correcting herself, and Popeye seems more disturbed by Olive's gushing of how she "just looooves babies" and kissing him than he does of Brutus's abuse. More inattention to detail at the end when the regrown Popeye returns the favor and uses the machine to reduce Brutus into a baby. He emerges in only a diaper but still with a full beard. Still ornery, Brutus uses his one tooth to bite Popeye as he coos the baby.